Compound propeller blade



July 11,'1950 E. G. GRlEsE coMPouNn PROPELLER BLADE 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 27, 1946 (lttorneg `I uly l1, 1950 E. G. GRlEsE coMPoUND PROPELLER'BLADE Filed Sept. 27, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bnnentor E [171er 'z'ee Bg Aff Gtomeg Patented July 11, 1950 COMPOUND PROPELLER BLADE IElmer G. Griese, Caldwell, N. J., assigner to Curtiss-Wright Corporatioma corporation of Dela- Ware Application September 27,1946, Serial No. 699,607

1 Claim. l This invention relates to aeronautical propel- 1ers :and is concerned particularly with improvements in propeller blades to increase the effectiveness of such blades in the inner shank portions thereof.

Conventional propeller blades for a number of years have comprised circular or cylindrical shank portions, the inner ends of which are secured in a propeller hub for pitch change. -To provide adequate structure in the blade to support the outer portions, which are subject to high centrifugal loading, approximately the inner 1/3 of the blade gradually blends from airfoil shape to cylindrical shape wherefore the inner portion of the blade is substantially ineffective for propulsion or for blowing air rearwardly to augment cooling of engines normally disposed behind the propeller. Various means have been evolved to increase the eiciency of blade inner portions including the provision of cuffs embracing the blade shanks, whereby the cylindrical shank is converted to a more or less streamlined form. The great thickness of the blade, however, in conjunction with the relatively short chord of the cuff section does not allow particularly great `aerodynamic eiciency of blade inner portions.

With older type blades, engine cooling efficiency, particularly at low air speed, is admittedly inadequate and improvements are continually being sought.

It is an object of this invention to provide a propeller blade having high aerodynamic efliciency near the hub, as well as having high efficiency toward the blade tip. It is a further object of the invention to provide a propeller blade whose inner portion is capable of producing positive thrust for augmentation of propulsion and/or for increasing the efliciency of cooling. It is a further object of the invention to provide a propeller blade whose entire length is effective, minimizing the need for large-spinners around the propeller huband blade Shanks usually deemed necessary to reduce drag of this portion of the propeller. Still another object-is to provide a compound propeller blade whose inner portionis particularly effective for blowing yair for engine cooling and whose outer vportion is predominantly effected for propulsion.

In general terms, the invention comprises a -composite or compound propeller blade consisting ofan inner circular shankportion mounted for pitch change in a propeller hub, an intermediate blade portion comprising two or more v airfoils, each having pitched disposition and each comprising effective airfoils, and arl-outer4 single blade portion operating substantially inthe fashion of conventional propeller blades.` If desired, a baille may be disposed between the multi-plane portions and single plane portions to minimize end loss from the multi-plane portions.

The foregoing objects are accomplished by the structural arrangement set forth in theV following detailed description when taken'in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of one-form of` propeller blade according to the invention;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are respectively sections on the lines 2 2, 3 3 and 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a propeller according to the invention as installed on a typical nacelle; f y

Fig. 6 is a side elevation ofan alternative form of propeller blade;

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are sections respectively on the lines 1 1, 8 8, 9 9 and l0 |ll of Fig. 6;

Fig. l1 is a planform elevation of the blade of Fig. 6; and f Fig. 12 is an edge form elevation of the blade of Fig. 6, Figs. 11 and 12 showing the blade in an untwisted state.

It should be appreciated that the drawings are employed for purpose of illustration only and are not designed to dei-lne the limitations ofthe invention, reference being had to the appended claim for this purpose.

In Figs. 1 through 5, I show a propeller blade comprising a shank lll of cylindrical form adapted for moimting in the blade socket of a propeller hub, such as that shown at I6, in Fig. 5. yThe hub, as is well known in the art, may beprovided with mechanism for turning the `propeller blade about its own :axis for pitch change. l.Immediately outboard of the shank I4 isa-platform I8 which preferably lies-adjacent the outer end of the hub socket I9 of the hub I6. From this platform, a pair of blade elements 20 and 22 extend radially outward, ythese airfoils .being disposed in reverse staggered biplane configuration as indicated in the sections of Figs. 2' through 4. Preferably, the gap between the airfoils 2D and'22 will be sufcientto causeminimum aerodynamic interference between the blade ,elements so that their aerodynamic efficiency will be high. These blade elements replace the conventional substantially cylindrical shank ofthe ordinary propeller blade and yet provide adequate structure to support the outer blade fpo-rtion shortly to be described. By vvirtue V`of the biplaneconiiguration, adequate beam strength results from the paired airfoils along with ,adequate cross section of material to support them and the outer blade portion to sustain centrifugal loading. In Fig. 1, the leading edge of the blade element 20 is indicated at 24 while its trailing edge is indicated at 12li. The leading edge of the blade element 22 is shown at 28 while its trailing edge is indicated at 3D. If desired, these blade elements may belvariable in thickness and chord as they extend outwardly, as shown, or they may Reference may now be made to Figs. 6 through 12, which show an alternative form of propeller blade. In this embodiment, the blade 54 is shown as comprising a cylindrical shank portion 56 for securement in the blade hub socket I9, the outer end of the shank being blended into two biplane blade elements 58 and 60 at a zone 62. The outer ends of the biplane .blade elements 58 and Bil are bridged as at 64 by blade structure and from the be substantially uniform in section from their in: 10,. central portion of the bridge 84 a propeller blade ner ends to their outer ends. Across the outer 66 extends outwardly. The bridge portion 64 is ends 32 and 34 of the elements 2pcand 22, a lf .ormed to 'provide smooth transition from the bridge plate 36 is secured, said bridge plateif debiplane .elements 58 and G0 to the Single blade sired, extending beyond thegconnesojthe airelement 6E .to enable good stress distribution, to foil forms of the elements to provide a plate which 15' minimize 'aerodyname drag and in part, to prominimizes end loss from the inner blade elements. vide means for minimizing end loss from the Further, the plate 36 may beestreamlined. as .s `blade'portions 5ft-.and 60. The airfoil form oi shown in Fig. 1, and may be curved ,in .concentheelements 58 and 80 is indicated in the section tricity with the propeller. of Fig; l0. The blade form of the outer blade Extending outwardly from the plate 36 is a go portion B6 is indicated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 and it will be'noted that in its-nal form, the'blade will have the usual twist whereby the blade outer `v:.maineblade 38-havinga leading edge 40 and a ..-1trailing edge 42, said blade, if desired, being of hollow-metal construction as indicated in Fig. 2. portions are pitched to comparatively Small deli1-The blade 38 may have its leading edge 4D'subglee While-'the blade inner portio el'e Comparestantially overlying the Y leading edge 24 of the il tively steeply pitched. As is well known in the blade element 2B, whilethe trailing edge 42 of the art, this twist is imparted to blades S0 that in blade aarmayaverne the trailing edge su of the -operatomthe effective angle of attacs of each v'-f-innel blade element 22. Thereby, the stress dis- 'i' -blade increment is thesame with respect to the tribution-throughout theblade will be favorable relativewind-whohismade up ofthe forward fsincethefcentrifugal loadsfrom the blade 3 8 Will 3o -air speed component and the linear speed due to be assumedvalong substantially radial lines into rotation of each increment `of the propeller blade. eethe propeller' blade shank. Adequate fillets are Thelatterbecomes greater as the sections are indicated at-the joints of the various blade ele- 1taken-from-blade `root towardblade tip. ments toreduce stress concentrations, Figs. through l2 showablade planform of Fig. 2, `it-is indicated that the pitch of the 3 5 -more modern concept than that shownin'Fig. l :blade elements 2 0 and 22, immediately inboard #whereby increased Vease of manufacture along Y' of theiplate 35, isgreater'than'thepitch of the ""m-Withilittle orno sacrifice in blade efficiency is blade 38 immediately outboard of the plate 36. attained.- As-gnoted above, Figs. 11 and l2 re- VThisarrangement may be desirable to augment spectivelyshowblade pl'anlormv and blade edge the air pumpingeffect of the inboard` biplane a0 Avforni withoutP twist, whereas Fig. 6 shows the blade elements where they lie directly infront of blade'withtwistincorporated, the blade being of a nacelle cowl opening as -indicated in Fig. 5. left'handrotationfand the'axis of rotation lying fr* Should-this pitch differential between the outer in the plane'oi the drawing as indicated. With and-inner blade be uunnecessary, there ,may be a i' `respect to Figs; '7 through l0, rotational axes are smooth transition Jin pitch in accordance with the L11S-indicated.' sgThroughout, rotational axes are rnormal Vtwistfpf'propeller blades, from the shank designated-*by the number Ti). In general, it is e tothe tip as `will be referred to in connection with ccntemplatedthat the biplane'portion of the profi'subsequent gures. peller blade will-occupy between 1A and 1/2 of the Referring briey to Fig. 5, thebiplane blade propeller diameter nearest to the center of rotaelements 20 and 22 liesubstantially directlyahead 50 tion While the conventional propeller blade exi of an airentrance opening 4 8 of anacelle 48, tendingbeyond the biplane portions, will occupy ".embleeng in. Usual faShiOn.. a DOWer plant (not from 1/2 to ,f3/; ofthe entire propeller diameter. `"srxowm irornwhich a propeller shaft 58 extends Theseproportionsare not intended to be limit- \for-Wardly to carry the propeller hub i6. If deling since it will depend upon the installation with gysired, a small spinner 52 .may embrace the pro- 55 which the propeller is to be used as to the relar-peller hub lS, It will be seen ,that, by this artive size of .the'inboard `and outboard lpropeller rangement, the blade elements 28 and 22 lie imblade elements. "^'mdete1y ahead o f the opening 46 and because Anydiierential in'pitchbetween the biplane i of their pitchedi-airfoil 'conguration, are highly bladegportions andthe mono-plane blade portions e-Y-eective for-forcingairfinto the nacelle 48. In oo is aimatter ofdesign tocbtain best eniciency in --:previousconstructions, it hasbeen proposed to f the'environment in which the propeller is to be Nequippropeller hubswith comparatively small used.` This speciic blending of the shank into `diameter-*fans operating either vat propeller speed the rbiplane `bladeV portions and of the bilplane f or at-greater 4than propeller speed to force air blade portions into the-monoplane blade-portions finto nacelles- Such fans had to overcome-the in- 65 is largelya matter of design to 'obtain best-aeroherentdrag' inthe unpitched cylindrical Shanks ldynamic effectv along with adequate structural ofepropeller bladesandmerely added extra com- *integrity against aerodynamic, centrifugalf and :vrplicationf ande-weight.1fv Withthis invention,r-fans vibrative loads imposed on the. propeller struc- -i- Amay be-dispensed'with since the inner blade porture. y

tions-describedecomprise in -eiecta cooling fan. 70"7 'Il1ough^ but twoV embodiments illustrating the If^--there is no `demandffor cooling air for a nace1le;-the inner biplane-'portions of the' propeller blade yare still -highly eiectiye infreducing popller --fdrag and -increasing itspropulsive rife ec.

principles ofthe kinvention have been illustrated and described', it is to be understood that the `invention may be applied in various yforms. f Changes-may beV inade in tha-arrangements 76 shown without departingfrom-the spirit 4ofr the 5 invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and reference should be made to the appended claim for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

An aeronautical propeller blade comprising an elongated cylindrical shank whose length is greater than its diameter, said shank comprising means for securement of the blade in a hub, Iand having an outer end portion comprising a ii-ange larger in diameter than the shank, a plurality of blade elements extending outwardly from said shank and ange and integral therewith, said elements each having airfo-il cross-section and having a substantial gap or spacing from one another to allow of air iiow therebetween, the ends of said elements next to said ilange lying within the compass of said flange, and said elements as they extend outwardly from said flange retaining at least as great a gap relation to one another as they have at said ange ends, la bridge portion substantially normal to said blade elements and secured integrally to each of them at their outer ends, said bridge portion being at least of such size as to embrace the leading and trailing edges of both said blade elements, and a single blade element of greater chord than either of said first mentioned blade elements integrally secured to vand extending Ioutwardly from said bridge portion, said single blade element having its leading edge forming 1a substantial prolongation of the leading edge of one of said first blade elements, beyond said bridge portion, and said single blade element having its trailing edge forming a substantial prolongation of the trailing edge of another of said first blade elements, beyond said bridge portion; said blade in its entirety, from the structural relationship of the components, having continuous, substantially alined stress flow lines from the blade shank through said plurality o-f blade elements and bridge portion to said single blade element along leading and trailing edges thereof.

ELMER G. GRIESE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: 

